Mowing attachment for tractors



Aug. 311, 1942'. J o s 2,292,943

MOWING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Original Filed Nov. 1, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY vAu 11,1942. J, E, HQRSTE 2,292,943

I MOWING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Original Filed Nov. 1, 1940 I5Sheets-Sheet 2 1942- J. E. HQRSTE 9 MOWING ATTACHMENT FOR Tn AcTonsOriginal Filed Nov. 1, 1940- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTOR ATTOR NEY PatentedAug. 11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOWING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORSJoseph E. Horste, Detroit, Mich.

Original application November 1, 1940, Serial No.

363,798, now Patent No. 2,260,668, dated October 28, 1941. Divided andthis application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,677

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a mowing attachment for tractors, shown in theaccompanying drawings, and is more particularly a division of anapplication filed by me November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,798, now Patent2,260,668, granted October 28, 1941. A primary object of the inventionis a simplified construction, whereby the manufacturing cost has beenreduced without impairment of its efficiency-while the operating speedhas been multiplied. One feature of the inventionwhich will be hereafterdescribed in further detailrelates to a cam, integral with a flywheel,adapted to actuat a rocker-arm to reciprocate the sickle of the mowingbar.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment which maybe quickly installed on or removed from the tractor without changing theconstruction of the latter; other advantages and improvements willhereafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the mowing attachment secured to atractor-indicated by broken lines-a fragment of the cutter only beingshown.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mowing attachment, secured to thetractor; the latter being indicated by broken lines. A

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the mowing attachment secured to thetractor, a fragment of the latter being also indicated by broken lines.

Figure 4 is a vertical fragmentary sectional .view taken on or aboutA--A Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a detail, taken on or aboutbroken line BBsee Figure 4.

Referring now to the reference characters upon the drawings:

The mowing bar I2, is attached to the tractor by a specially constructedframe I, which permits fastening to the tractor at. only two points2l-2I', see Fig. 1. This two-point connection facilitates removal whenthe tractor is to be used for other purposes. The mowing bar I2, is ofstandard construction and the sickle I1, is operated in a reciprocalmanner by a cam 22, see Figures 4 and 5, which is part of the fly wheelIn, Figure 3. A rocker arm H, see Figures l--2-4--5, is held stationaryat the short end, andas the fly wheel l0, revolves the cam 22, forcesthe long end of the rocker arm II, to reciprocate in a horizontaldirection. By the employment of a suitable linkage I5, see Figures 4-5this motion is transmitted to the sickle ll.

The fly wheel [0, is driven from a pulley 4,

in travelling from a line parallel to the tractor to a line at rightangles to the tractor upon passing around two idler pulleys 9, seeFigures 1- This method of driving the mowing mechanism by V-belts directto the flywheel has not been used before in mowing machine construction.

The object is to reduce the manufacturing cost and to provide a means ofturning the flywheel, while the mowing bar I2, is in a verticalposition.

This is accomplished by revolving the flywheel l0, around the same shaftl9, see 1-3- l-5, that the mowing bar hinges on while raising to avertical position.

The mowing bar is raised by means of a cable 6, operated by an arm I;the arm being a part of the tractor--see Figures 1-2 and 3. One end ofthe cable is fastened to the mowing bar l2 see Figures 12-3. The otherend of the cable is attached to the arm I, it then passes under a roller23, which is secured to the axle of the tractor 'by the clamp 8 (seeFigures 2 and 3), and then back over roller 24, which is attached to arm'I--see Figure 2. Upon the arm I being rocked, the mowing bar raisesthree times as fast as said arm, because of compound leverage gained bygoing around pulleys 23 and 24-see Figure 2.

When the mowing bar l2, strikes an obstruction, it releases and dropsback from a position held at right angles to the tractor, by the springand ball detent 3 (see Figure 4), until the mowing bar is released fromthe obstruction.

A manually operated bell-crank lever I3 is pivoted to a sector l4,having notches to receive the usual spring actuated dog, whereby thecutter unit may be tilted to ride over stones or other likeobstructions.

When it is desired to remove the mowing unit from the tractor, theattachment may be readily disconnected at the two-point fastening 2|- 2I which secures it to the frame.

I claim:

1. In a mowing attachment for a tractor, the combination of a mowingbar. a sickle, and driving means therefor, said driving means comprisinga flywheel, a cam integral with said flywheel, means connecting said camto one end of said sickle, power take-off means at one end of saidtractor, a plurality of belt members engaging said power take-off means,said belt members extending parallel to said tractor and engagin anidler pulley intermediate the ends of the tractor whereupon the saidbelt members are caused to extend at right angle to said tractor forengagement with the said flywheel.

2. In a mowing attachment for a tractor, the combination of a mowingbar, a sickle, and d-riving means therefor, said driving meanscomprising a flywheel, a cam integral with said flywheel, meansconnecting said cam to one end of said sickle, a driving pulley at oneend of said tractor. a plurality of belt members engaging said drivingpulley, said belt members extending parallel to said tractor andengaging an idler pulley intermediate the ends of the tractor whereuponthe said belt members are caused to travel in a direction at right angleto said tractor for engagement with the said flywheel.

J OSEPH E. HQRSTE.

